EP0191932B1 - Véhicule - Google Patents

Véhicule Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0191932B1
EP0191932B1 EP85116014A EP85116014A EP0191932B1 EP 0191932 B1 EP0191932 B1 EP 0191932B1 EP 85116014 A EP85116014 A EP 85116014A EP 85116014 A EP85116014 A EP 85116014A EP 0191932 B1 EP0191932 B1 EP 0191932B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
vehicle
suspensions
pressure
car body
vehicle speed
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP85116014A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0191932A3 (en
EP0191932A2 (fr
Inventor
Toshihide Room 6207 Toyota No. 2 Higashi Yano
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Toyota Motor Corp
Original Assignee
Toyota Motor Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Toyota Motor Corp filed Critical Toyota Motor Corp
Publication of EP0191932A2 publication Critical patent/EP0191932A2/fr
Publication of EP0191932A3 publication Critical patent/EP0191932A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0191932B1 publication Critical patent/EP0191932B1/fr
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
    • B60G17/00—Resilient suspensions having means for adjusting the spring or vibration-damper characteristics, for regulating the distance between a supporting surface and a sprung part of vehicle or for locking suspension during use to meet varying vehicular or surface conditions, e.g. due to speed or load
    • B60G17/015—Resilient suspensions having means for adjusting the spring or vibration-damper characteristics, for regulating the distance between a supporting surface and a sprung part of vehicle or for locking suspension during use to meet varying vehicular or surface conditions, e.g. due to speed or load the regulating means comprising electric or electronic elements
    • B60G17/0152—Resilient suspensions having means for adjusting the spring or vibration-damper characteristics, for regulating the distance between a supporting surface and a sprung part of vehicle or for locking suspension during use to meet varying vehicular or surface conditions, e.g. due to speed or load the regulating means comprising electric or electronic elements characterised by the action on a particular type of suspension unit
    • B60G17/0155—Resilient suspensions having means for adjusting the spring or vibration-damper characteristics, for regulating the distance between a supporting surface and a sprung part of vehicle or for locking suspension during use to meet varying vehicular or surface conditions, e.g. due to speed or load the regulating means comprising electric or electronic elements characterised by the action on a particular type of suspension unit pneumatic unit
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
    • B60G15/00—Resilient suspensions characterised by arrangement, location or type of combined spring and vibration damper, e.g. telescopic type
    • B60G15/08—Resilient suspensions characterised by arrangement, location or type of combined spring and vibration damper, e.g. telescopic type having fluid spring
    • B60G15/12—Resilient suspensions characterised by arrangement, location or type of combined spring and vibration damper, e.g. telescopic type having fluid spring and fluid damper
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
    • B60G17/00—Resilient suspensions having means for adjusting the spring or vibration-damper characteristics, for regulating the distance between a supporting surface and a sprung part of vehicle or for locking suspension during use to meet varying vehicular or surface conditions, e.g. due to speed or load
    • B60G17/02—Spring characteristics, e.g. mechanical springs and mechanical adjusting means
    • B60G17/04—Spring characteristics, e.g. mechanical springs and mechanical adjusting means fluid spring characteristics
    • B60G17/052—Pneumatic spring characteristics
    • B60G17/0521—Pneumatic spring characteristics the spring having a flexible wall

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a vehicle, and more particularly to a vehicle provided with a suspension capable of varying the characteristics thereof, according to the preamble of claim 1.
  • a vehicle of this kind is known from document JP-A-59 164214.
  • An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle including suspensions capable of varying the characteristics thereof, which can restrain the generation of the unstable factors to remove the uneasy feeling of a driver when it receives side wind and improve further the controllability.
  • the control unit calculates an aerodynamic sideslip angle from the size of speed and a lateral force caused by side wind.
  • the unit controls each of the suspensions to make the characteristics thereof rigid when the lateral force exceeds a predetermined value, i.e., to increase the damping force of a shock absorber or heighten the spring constant of an air spring or increase the damping force while heightening the spring constant.
  • a predetermined value i.e., to increase the damping force of a shock absorber or heighten the spring constant of an air spring or increase the damping force while heightening the spring constant.
  • each of the suspensions is made rigid by the control unit so that the generation of unstable factors such as the lateral movement of the vehicle, the feeling of shock given to a driver by the generation of yaw velocity and rolling can be restrained to reduce a feeling of uneasiness given to the driver.
  • a vehicle 10 comprises four suspensions 12 supporting front, rear, left and right wheels 11 and a pressure sensor 18 having a pair of pressure detecting means 16, 17 provided on two front sides of a car body 14 suspended from the suspensions.
  • the suspension 12 is provided with a shock absorber 20 capable of varying the damping force.
  • a bypass path is provided in a piston or a piston rod in addition to liquid paths provided inherently in the piston disposed slidably in a cylinder. It is constituted such that communication between two liquid chambers defined by the piston through the bypass path is afforded and interrupted.
  • the shock absorber 20 is provided with a cylinder 22, a shell 24 spaced from the cylinder 22, a piston 26 disposed movably in the cylinder 22 and a piston rod 28 connected to the piston 26.
  • the piston rod 28 has a longitudinal hole 30 extending axially from an upper end face and a bored hole 31 provided in a lower end.
  • a connecting member 32 is forced into the bored hole 31.
  • the connecting member 32 extends through the piston 26 and a nut 34 is screwed onto a portion of the connecting member 32 projecting from the piston so that the connecting member 32 is connected to the piston 26.
  • the piston 26 is coupled with the piston rod 28 through the connecting member 32.
  • the piston 26 has a plurality of ports 36 spaced circumferentially through which liquid flows in the extension of the piston rod 28 and a plurality of ports 38 spaced circumferentially through which liquid flows in the contraction of same.
  • Liquid chambers A, B partitioned by the piston 26 communicate to each other through the ports 36, 38.
  • Valve bodies 42, 46 biased respectively by coil springs 40, 44 are disposed respectively on a lower side of the ports 36 and on an upper side of the ports 38.
  • the connecting member 32 has a hole 48 aligned with the longitudinal hole 30 in the piston rod 28, a path 49 extending from an end face over the piston 26 and a path 50 crossing the hole 48 and extending radially from the path 49 to an outer peripheral surface to constitute a bypass path for affording communication between the liquid chambers A, B.
  • a control rod 52 is rotatably disposed in the longitudinal hole 30 in the piston rod 28 and the hole 48 in the connecting member 32 under the liquid-tight condition.
  • the control rod 52 has a hole 54 extending diametrally, which is capable of communicating to the path 50, in a portion 53 inserted into the hole 48 in the connecting member 32.
  • the hole 54 communicates to the path 50 as shown in the drawing, the liquid chambers A, B communicate to each other through the bypass path, i.e. the path 50, hole 54 and path 49 in addition to the ports 36 or 38 in the piston 26. Therefore, an amount of liquid flowing through the ports in the piston 26 is reduced and the damping force of the shock absorber 20 is reduced.
  • control rod 52 rotates and the hole 54 gets out of the path 50, the path 50 is insulated by the control rod 52. Therefore, the amount of liquid flowing through the ports in the piston 26 is increased and the damping force of the shock absorber 20 is increased.
  • the control rod 52 is rotated by an actuator such as a motor.
  • Fig. 4 shows an embodiment in which the spring constant of an air spring 60 together with the damping force of a shock absorber is varied.
  • the air spring 60 has main and auxiliary air chambers 62, 64 formed to surround the shock absorber 20 shown in Fig. 3 and is constituted by enclosing compressed air into both air chambers.
  • the main air chamber 62 is formed of a housing 68 welded under the air tight condition to a cylindrical spacer 66 inserted into the piston rod 28 and a rubber diaphragm 72 having one end fixed to the housing 68 and the other end fixed to an air piston 70 of the shell 24.
  • a partition wall 74 is spanned from the housing 68 to the spacer 66 to define the auxiliary air chamber 64.
  • Two holes 76, 77 extending diametrally from the longitudinal hole 30 in the piston rod 28 and spaced axially from each other are provided.
  • the upper hole 76 communicates to the auxiliary air chamber 64 through a hole 67 in the spacer 66 and the lower hole 77 communicates to the main air chamber 62 through a hole 79 in a ring 78 welded to the piston rod 28.
  • the main and auxiliary air chambers 62, 64 communicate to each other through these holes.
  • the longitudinal hole 30 in the piston rod 28 has an upper portion expanded with respect to its diameter and a valve body 80 is rotatably disposed in the upper portion.
  • the valve body 80 has a hole 82 bored axially from a lower end face and two holes 83, 84 extending diametrally from the hole 82 and spaced axially from each other.
  • the holes 83, 84 can communicate respectively to the holes 76, 77 in the piston rod.
  • the control rod 52 is serration fitted in the hole 82 of the valve body to be coupled with the valve body 80.
  • An O-ring 86 is disposed in the longitudinal hole 30 of the piston rod, and the control rod 52 and the valve body 80 are inserted into the longitudinal hole 30.
  • an O-ring 88 is disposed on a shoulder of the valve body 80 and a collar 90 is press fitted into the upper portion of the hole 30, so that the valve body 80 and the control rod 52 are rotatably supported by the piston rod 28 under the liquid tight condition.
  • the piston rod 28 is coupled with a car body 94 through a bushing 92.
  • the bushing 92 is vulcanized and bonded to two support members 96, 98 and the piston rod 28 extends through the support member 96.
  • a washer 100 and a bracket 102 are put onto the piston rod 28 and a nut 104 is screwed onto the piston rod 28 to depress the support member 96 toward the spacer 66 so that the piston rod 28 is connected to the support member 96.
  • bolts 106 serration fitted in the support member 98 extend through the car body 94 and nuts 108 are screwed onto the bolts 106 respectively to connect the support member 98 to the car body 94.
  • An actuator 110 for rotating the valve body 80 consists of a motor and a reduction gear well known per se and is fixed to the piston rod 28 by the bracket 102 of a housing. A flat portion of the valve body 80 is inserted in a slit of an output shaft 111 of the actuator 110.
  • the main and auxiliary air chambers 62, 64 communicate to each other so that the spring constant of the air spring 60 is small.
  • the valve body 80 is rotated and the holes 83, 84 therein get out of the holes 76, 77 in the piston rod respectively, the valve body 80 closes the holes 76, 77. Therefore, the main air chamber 62 is insulated from the auxiliary air chamber 64 to increase the spring constant of the air spring 60.
  • the control rod 52 is located such that the damping force of the shock absorber 20 is increased when the spring constant of the air spring 60 is large and reduced with the spring constant of same is small.
  • the pressure sensor 18 is constituted from semiconductors for example to generate voltage proportional to the differential pressure detected by the pair of pressure detecting means 16, 17.
  • each pressure detecting means is constituted from a pressure introducing pipe 19 and its port opened to the side of the car body. That is, a pair of small ports are provided respectively at symmetric positions about the surface including the longitudinal center axis of the car body on both sides thereof. That pipe 19 is inserted into each small port to form the pressure detecting means.
  • angle ljJ When a travelling vehicle receives side wind, composite wind of the travelling wind and the side wind acts on the direction of angle l j J measured from the surface including the longitudinal center axis of the car body so that the left and right sides of the car body 14 will differ from each other in the pressure distribution.
  • the angle ljJ is called aerodynamic sideslip angle.
  • the pressure distribution has the largest negative pressure in the proximity of both front sides 15a, 15b of the car body.
  • the pair of pressure detecting means 16, 17 are preferably disposed on both front sides 15a, 15b of the car body 14 to detect pressure in positions of the large pressure distribution.
  • a vehicle speed sensor 120 (Fig. 1) detects vehicle speed in travelling to send it to the input of a control unit 122.
  • the vehicle speed sensor 120 is provided on a proper position of the car body.
  • the control unit 122 calculates the size of lateral force due to side wind according to signals of the pressure sensor 18 and the vehicle speed sensor 120. When the size of the lateral force exceeds a certain value, the control unit 122 controls the suspensions 12 to make the characteristics of the suspensions rigid.
  • control unit 122 is a CPU, i.e., a computer.
  • the control unit 122 judges and calculates as shown in Fig. 6, to control the suspensions 12.
  • the vehicle speed V is put in the input (125) to be compared with a predetermined vehicle speed Vo (126). Since the aerodynamic sideslip ange U is small until the vehicle speed reaches a certain speed, the lateral force F can be neglected. Thus, it is compared with the preset vehicle speed Vo.
  • the differential pressure P is put in the input (127), and the aerodynamic sideslip angle ⁇ and the lateral force F are calculated (128).
  • the constant K 1 varies with the vehicle speed and car type, value of the constant K, is stored previously in the control unit 122 in every range of vehicle speed corresponding to the car type so that proper constant is used to obtain first the aerodynamic sideslip angle ⁇ .
  • the constant K 2 corresponding to the car type is obtained from the aerodynamic sideslip angIe ⁇ and the lateral force F is obtained from the experimentally determined constant K 3 , fixed numbers S, p, etc.
  • the lateral force F is compared with the lateral force Fo which makes the car body unstable (129) and when the obtained lateral force F exceeds Fo, the control unit 122 controls the actuator 110 of each of the suspensions 12 to make the characteristics of the suspension rigid (130). As a result, the damping force of the shock absorber 20 is increased and the spring constant of the air spring 60 is increased.
  • Time T taken after making the characteristics of the suspension rigid is measured and compared with set time To varying with the car type (131). After the set time has elapsed, the characteristics of each of the suspensions is returned to the original condition (132) to complete the control.
  • the damping force of the shock absorber and the spring constant of the air spring are controlled simultaneously.
  • only the damping force of the shock absorber or only the spring constant of the air spring may be controlled according to the type of suspension to make the characteristics of the suspension rigid.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Vehicle Body Suspensions (AREA)

Claims (6)

1. Un véhicule comprenant:
des suspensions dont les caractéristiques peuvent varier; un capteur de pression (18) muni de moyens de détection de pression (16, 17) ménagés respectivement sur deux côtés d'une carrosserie de véhicule (14) suspendue par des suspensions (12) et une unité de commande (122) pour commander les suspensions de manière à rendre les caractéristiques de celles-ci raides lorsque la valeur de la force latérale excède une valeur prédéterminée; caractérisé par un capteur de vitesse de véhicule (120) ménage sur la carrosserie du véhicule (14) et en ce que l'unité de commande (122) reçoit des signaux provenant du détecteur de pression (18) et du détecteur de vitesse de véhicule (120) et obtient la force latérale à partir de la pression et de la vitesse de véhicule détectées lorsque la vitesse de véhicule détectée dépasse une valeur prédéterminée.
2. Un véhicule (10) tel que revendiqué dans la revendication 1, dans lequel chacune des suspensions (12) comprend un amortisseur (20) capable de régler la force d'amortissement ou un ressort pneumatique (60) capable de régler la constante élastique ou un amortisseur (20) capable de régler la force d'amortissement et le ressort pneumatique (60) capable de régler la constante élastique.
3. Un véhicule (10) tel que revendiqué dans la revendication 1 ou 2, dans lequel lesdits deux côtés sont dans des parties avant (15a, 15b) de la carrosserie du véhicule (14) qui sont soumises à une pression importante.
4. Un véhicule (10) tel que revendiqué dans l'une des revendications 1 à 3, dans lequel chacun desdits moyens de détection de pression (16, 17) comprend un petit orifice ménagé de chaque côté et une conduite (19) communiquant avec ce petit orifice et dans lequel le détecteur de pression (18) engendre une pression différentielle détectée par les deux moyens détecteurs de pression (16, 17).
5. Un véhicule (10) comme revendiqué dans l'une des revendications 1 à 4, dans lequel ladite unité de commande (122) ramène les caractéristiques de chacune des suspensions (12) à l'état initial après qu'un temps prédéterminé se soit écoulé après que les caractéristiques de chacune des suspensions (12) aient été rendues rigides.
6. Un véhicule comme revendiqué dans l'une des revendications 1 à 5, dans lequel ledit capteur de pression (18) comprend de petits orifices respectivement ménagés sur les faces avant (15a, 15b) de ladite carrosserie de véhicule (14) soumises à une pression importante ainsi que des conduites (19) reliées aux petits orifices pour produire une pression différentielle.
EP85116014A 1985-01-14 1985-12-16 Véhicule Expired EP0191932B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP3241/85 1985-01-14
JP60003241A JPS61163009A (ja) 1985-01-14 1985-01-14 車両

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0191932A2 EP0191932A2 (fr) 1986-08-27
EP0191932A3 EP0191932A3 (en) 1988-07-27
EP0191932B1 true EP0191932B1 (fr) 1990-10-10

Family

ID=11551957

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP85116014A Expired EP0191932B1 (fr) 1985-01-14 1985-12-16 Véhicule

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US4671534A (fr)
EP (1) EP0191932B1 (fr)
JP (1) JPS61163009A (fr)
AU (1) AU553637B1 (fr)
DE (1) DE3580103D1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (19)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4809179A (en) * 1987-01-20 1989-02-28 Ford Motor Company Control system for motor vehicle suspension unit
US4798398A (en) * 1987-08-12 1989-01-17 Unit Rig & Equipment Co. Dual rate equalizer suspension
US4805923A (en) * 1987-12-16 1989-02-21 Ford Motor Company Adaptive control system for operating adjustable automotive suspension units
JP2946511B2 (ja) * 1988-07-29 1999-09-06 トヨタ自動車株式会社 ショックアブソーバの減衰力制御装置
US5080392A (en) * 1990-04-26 1992-01-14 Cb Auto Design Inc. Suspension unit
US5154442A (en) * 1990-11-19 1992-10-13 Milliken Douglas L Self-contained acceleration-responsive adaptive damper
US5446662A (en) * 1993-05-27 1995-08-29 Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho Suspension control device for vehicle, tuning method for spring rate of suspension, and tuning method for damping rate thereof
FR2715108B1 (fr) * 1994-01-17 1996-04-05 Peugeot Dispositif de suspension pour véhicule automobile.
US5553924A (en) * 1994-11-15 1996-09-10 The Board Of Trustees Of The University Of Alabama For Its Division, The University Of Alabama At Birmingham Vehicle safety seat system
DE19803370A1 (de) * 1998-01-29 1999-08-05 Ferdinand Dr Piech Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Betreiben eines Kraftfahrzeuges
US20080296814A1 (en) 2002-06-25 2008-12-04 Joseph Franklin Gas spring with travel control
US7703585B2 (en) * 2002-06-25 2010-04-27 Fox Factory, Inc. Integrated and self-contained suspension assembly having an on-the-fly adjustable air spring
US10941828B2 (en) 2002-06-25 2021-03-09 Fox Factory, Inc. Gas spring with travel control
US8464850B2 (en) 2006-11-16 2013-06-18 Fox Factory, Inc. Gas spring curve control in an adjustable-volume gas-pressurized device
US7963509B2 (en) 2007-01-31 2011-06-21 Fox Factory, Inc. Travel control for a gas spring and gas spring having very short travel modes
DE102004029374A1 (de) * 2004-06-17 2006-01-05 Robert Bosch Gmbh Verfahren zur Bestimmung einer Auslöseentscheidung für Rückhaltemittel eines Kraftfahrzeuges
DE102008012906B4 (de) * 2008-03-06 2009-12-17 Zf Friedrichshafen Ag Fahrwerk mit verstellbarer Dämpfkraft
KR101305899B1 (ko) 2011-10-14 2013-09-06 현대자동차주식회사 차량의 디핑 억제 장치
US10753420B2 (en) 2018-04-16 2020-08-25 Beijingwest Industries Co., Ltd. Rotating three way valve for switchable air springs

Family Cites Families (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1267815A (en) * 1968-07-29 1972-03-22 Lucas Industries Ltd Road vehicle suspension systems
IT939885B (it) * 1971-09-25 1973-02-10 Fiat Spa Sistema di comando per sospensio ni indipendenti di autoveicoli
DE2331684A1 (de) * 1973-06-22 1975-01-16 Bosch Gmbh Robert Einrichtung zur kompensation von seitenwindeinwirkungen auf strassenfahrzeugen
US4333668A (en) * 1979-12-17 1982-06-08 The Bendix Corporation Electronic adaptive ride control system
US4468739A (en) * 1981-11-17 1984-08-28 Woods Lonnie K Computer optimized adaptive suspension system having combined shock absorber/air spring unit
JPS5948210A (ja) * 1982-09-10 1984-03-19 Isuzu Motors Ltd 車高調整装置
US4506751A (en) * 1982-12-21 1985-03-26 Applied Power Inc. Tilt cab truck with anti-dive and anti-sway control
JPS59164214A (ja) * 1983-03-09 1984-09-17 Nissan Motor Co Ltd 車両用サスペンシヨン装置
JPS59186713A (ja) * 1983-03-18 1984-10-23 Mazda Motor Corp 自動車のサスペンシヨン
JPS59227514A (ja) * 1983-06-08 1984-12-20 Mazda Motor Corp 自動車のサスペンシヨン
JPS6053417A (ja) * 1983-09-05 1985-03-27 Nissan Motor Co Ltd 車両用車高調整装置

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US4671534A (en) 1987-06-09
AU553637B1 (en) 1986-07-24
JPS61163009A (ja) 1986-07-23
DE3580103D1 (de) 1990-11-15
EP0191932A3 (en) 1988-07-27
EP0191932A2 (fr) 1986-08-27

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